Mother
by AutumnLeavesGA
Summary: This is my remake of the last chapter of Sunrise. I really didnt like how it originally ended. One-shot. Please R&R if you want to. First fic. Genres....just because. This isnt sappy.


**Authors Note: Hi everybody! This is Irichigo. This is my first story. One-shot. My take of the last chapter of Sunrise. I didn't like how the real one ended. I don't own any of the characters or Warriors. Please read, and if you want, review. Oh, and I know that cats don't cry or smile. But in this fic they do. Its easier to express feelings that way.**

. . .

Hollyleaf stared at the retreating form of her mother, her chest heaving with suppressed tears. What had she done? Suddenly, she felt like running after Leafpool and telling her to stay, that she, Hollyleaf, needed her. _What are you mouse brained?_ She told herself harshly. _She left you! She destroyed all that you stand for! She destroyed the warrior code! _But strangely enough, after her burning hatred for the cat who was her mother, pity and understanding welled up inside her for Leafpool, threatening to overflow out of her eyes as tears. She felt as if she would burst because of the writhing knot of hate, confusion, and sadness inside that made her belly clench.

Blundering out of the den, she raced across the clearing, and out into the forest. Pelting along at full speed, she followed Leafpool's scent to the Windclan border. She barely registered the approaching scents of her two brothers until she collided heavily with Lionblaze, knocking him flying. His screech of surprise was cut off as he crashed into a tree behind him.

"_Hollyleaf!"_ Jayfeather, his tail fluffed out and his eyes wide, stared at her. "What in the name of Starclan are you _doing?"_ he demanded. "We thought you went to camp to sleep! Not run around smashing into people!" Lionblaze mewed indignantly, rubbing his head with a paw and glaring through one eye at Hollyleaf.

"Sorry. I-I just needed a run. Y'know, to get my mind off things." Hollyleaf dropped her head against her chest. "I have this feeling…" she started uncertainly, but stopped, feeling stupid. Jayfeather stared at her with his blank eyes. "What? You can tell us." he mewed, his voice uncharacteristically soft and understanding. Hollyleaf felt hot tears blur the edges of her vision. Then it all came out like a dam bursting inside her brain. Her head snapped up.

"I don't think we did this right! I-I don't think we should have done it!" Lionblaze and Jayfeather looked completely bewildered. Hollyleaf stared at her paws, bitter regret in every word she spoke. "But now it's too late! We'll never see our mother again, our father hates us, and Brambleclaw hates Squirrelflight! We've ruined _everything!"_ she gasped out the last words, tears streaming down her whiskers and onto the ground.

Her claws slid out and clutched the grass beneath her paws viciously as she thought of the cat that had ruined their life. "_Ashfur!"_ she hissed. "Why?" she lifted her head up to the sky. "_Why? I thought I stopped it when I killed you!" _she screeched, fear and anger pulsating through her veins at the thought of that crucial moment. That strange feeling of satisfaction as her teeth met Ashfur's throat...the light leaving his shocked eyes. Hollyleaf closed her eyes, taking deep, heaving breaths. _No…no more. Please. _She stood there, legs shaking as Lionblaze and Jayfeather exchanged glances. There was a minute of stunned silence.

"_You_ killed Ashfur?" Jayfeather finally choked out, his voice cracking. Forcing herself to look up, Hollyleaf nodded. "He had to die." She mewed simply. Jayfeather gaped at her, speechless, but Lionblaze managed to sputter weakly, "But _Hollyleaf,_ you've always defended the warrior code with your life, why choose now to leave it all behind?" Hollyleaf glared at him, suddenly angry.

"Weren't you glad when he ended up dead? Weren't you relieved that the secret would stay safe?" she spat, hackles rising defensively.

"But it _didn't_ stay safe!" Jayfeather hissed, his blue eyes smoldering. "_You_ told every cat at the gathering! Why didn't you just let Ashfur do it? That would have been easier on _us!"_ Hollyleaf stood there shocked. Recovering quickly, she pulled her ears back and bared her teeth.

"What do you mean, "_easier on us"?_ Didn't you want to know who our real parents were? Didn't you _care_?" Jayfeather sighed, dropping his head onto his chest, suddenly looking tired.

"Of course I wanted to know." He mewed quietly, lifting his head again so his pained eyes met Hollyleaf's. His sudden weakness scared Hollyleaf. Jayfeather was usually the one to never fail; to never give up.

"Looking back, I think we should of left this be. I mean, the whole reason we investigated who our parents were was because we were afraid that we weren't the three in the prophecy, right?" Jayfeather looked around at Lionblaze, who nodded slowly. "Yeah." He mewed staring at Hollyleaf, his expression unreadable. Jayfeather nodded at Lionblaze and then turned his head back to Hollyleaf.

"Please Hollyleaf. Believe that we can still get through this_. Together._" As Hollyleaf stared at Jayfeather, the events of the past moon raced through her brain. She could see Ashfur's crazed expression as he threatened to kill Hollyleaf and her brothers. She could feel the heat of the flames around her, and hear Squirrelflight's anguish as she mewed, "They aren't my kits, Ashfur!" She remembered the constant anger and confusion she had lived with for so long. She thought of the day when Jayfeather told Lionblaze and Hollyleaf that Leafpool was their mother, the infuriating meetings with Sol, and the burning desire to know who their father was. Most prominent in her mind was just that night, when she had announced to the whole gathering that Squirrelflight wasn't their real mother, and how Leafpool _was_. She felt terrible, searing regret clawing at her as she recalled the last conversation with her mother; how Hollyleaf had almost forced Leafpool to eat death berries, telling her that she deserved to die, that she would never be forgiven, and that Hollyleaf would hate her forever. She saw Leafpool's eyes, full of the deepest sorrow…

A funny ringing filled her ears. She knew what she had to do, and Lionblaze, nor Jayfeather, could stop her. Leaping to her paws, she felt a burning feeling of cold purpose inside her brain, blocking out all other senses. Paying no attention to the shocked cries of Lionblaze and Jayfeather, she charged past them and into the undergrowth. _Mother, _She thought. _I'm coming._

. . .

"Don't just stand there! Come on! Let's follow her." Jayfeather yowled to Lionblaze, who had been staring at the place where Hollyleaf had disappeared with shock and confusion. Lionblaze jerked, looking up. "Huh? Oh- Hollyleaf- following- right. Let's go." He stuttered. Jayfeather rolled his eyes, and plunged into the bushes after his sister, inwardly afraid of what Hollyleaf might do if they didn't catch up in time. _Will she kill herself? _This new, disturbing thought made him run faster, fear for his sister and for the prophecy. _How could the prophecy be fulfilled if the three became two?_ He wondered. He vaguely sensed Lionblaze behind him, keeping pace easily. Hollyleaf's fresh scent intermingled with Leafpool's fainter one. With a jolt, Jayfeather realized how much alike they smelled. _Why haven't I ever noticed? Mouse brain, you could've seen it before! _Cursing himself under his breath for not noticing the connection sooner, Jayfeather ran faster still. Suddenly, both scents became fresh, and Jayfeather, slowing his pace to a brisk trot, heard two very familiar voices ahead. He stopped, crouching behind a large holly bush, trusting the plants pungent scent to mask his own. Lionblaze came puffing up beside him, crouching down too.

"What's up?" he hissed under his breath. Jayfeather, did not reply, but angled his ears toward Hollyleaf and Leafpool's voices.

"Why did you come for me?" Leafpool's confused mew drifted down to Jayfeather from farther up the border. _Good. _Jayfeather thought. _We haven't missed much._

"I've done some thinking, and I'm not sure what I said before was true." Hollyleaf sounded completely sure that she knew what she was doing; there was no trace of apprehension or regret in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Leafpool was genuinely perplexed now. "I mean that, I'm sorry. Truly. I made a mistake. I understand. It was an accident." Hollyleaf's words were met with a stunned silence. Then Leafpool spoke, regret in every syllable. "An accident provoked by foolish and stupid choices."

"But an accident nevertheless." Hollyleaf mewed softly. "I'm not the one to hate you; you should hate me; for ruining your life. Hate me for everything I've done to you. Just know, that whatever happens after now, I love you, mother."

A silence so dense and heavy with emotion Jayfeather could've sliced it with claw commenced. Leafpool broke the silence with a sigh. Then she spoke; "Oh, Hollyleaf, don't you see? I could never hate you. I have loved you and your brothers from your moment of birth. Why would I stop now?" "After everything we've said and done, you still welcome us with open arms?" Hollyleaf choked out tearfully. "How _can_ you? We, no, _I_ have ruined your life!"

"The truth would've come out sooner or later, Hollyleaf. Its not just your fault. Someone was bound to notice we share a similar scent. Or that Squirrelflight never _was_ pregnant." Leafpool said in a quiet, motherly tone. "I love you Hollyleaf, and that's all there is to it."

Beside him, Jayfeather could feel Lionblaze's sympathy coming off him in waves. Jayfeather was shocked. How could Lionblaze feel anything but anger towards Hollyleaf and Leafpool? Leafpool had betrayed the warrior code and them, and Hollyleaf was trying to apologize _for_ them. Suddenly, Lionblaze turned to Jayfeather, determination and sadness in his voice.

"I want to speak with mother." Jayfeather was shocked further still. "What? Why?"

"Hollyleaf is right to forgive her. She's our _mother_, Jayfeather. She gave birth to us. Why should we give up this relationship?" Lionblaze's voice was resolute, letting Jayfeather know that he could say nothing to change his mind. But strangely, Jayfeather found that he _had_ nothing to say. He felt he agreed with Lionblaze, but it was hard to accept. Any other day, he would stick to his first thoughts, but not today. Today, he really felt for Leafpool. Felt the terrible regret and sadness that radiated from her mind like rays from the sun. Jayfeather turned to Lionfang. "Ok." He said quietly, nodding. Together, they bounded out of the bushes and up to Leafpool, immediately nuzzling her chest fur.

"Jayfeather? Lionblaze? Wha…?" As Jayfeather stepped back so Leafpool could look at him, he felt Hollyleaf's eyes rake his pelt. He didn't care though; he needed to talk to Leafpool.

"Mother, we forgive you too. We'll miss you." He mewed, finding the truth in the statement to be genuine; something he would've thought impossible an hour ago. He could hear Leafpool's quiet sobs as he spoke, and his warmth towards her strengthened.

"Oh my kits." She mewed joyfully. "My kits, my kits. You forgive me! Oh blessed Starclan, I thought this day would never come!" she cried, nuzzling them each on the cheek in turn. Usually, Jayfeather would have disliked this kit-treatment, but right now, it was the best thing in the world. The four of them stood there, nuzzling and mewing, for a few minutes, until they broke apart; Leafpool gazing around at them, her eyes bright.

"Your father should be here too." She murmured, saddened once more. Jayfeather felt anger bubbling up inside him for Crowfeather; the father who had denied them.

"Well he's not." He said bluntly, and when the other three looked shocked, he said, "And he shouldn't be. He denied us. He denied everything. We don't need him."

"And I regret it with all my heart to hear you say that, Jayfeather." All four of them spun around to see a smoky black tom standing there, his amber eyes fixed on Leafpool. "I missed you." He mewed softly. Leafpool's green eyes were wide, and her jaws slightly open at the sight of her former mate. Then she gave a great cry of delight and threw herself at him.

"Crowfeather! You came!" she cried, burying her muzzle into his chest fur. Crowfeather licked the top of her head tenderly. "Of course I did. I just couldn't stay with Windclan anymore. And I needed you." Lionblaze stepped forward. "Crowfeather." He mewed. There was a moment of hushed silence as Lionblaze and Crowfeather looked at each other. "Father." Lionblaze finally mewed quietly, his voice forgiving. He padded over to Crowfeather and Leafpool and purred. "Father." Hollyleaf rushed over after Lionblaze. After some trepidation, Jayfeather went too. For a few moments, which seemed like an eternity to Jayfeather, they stood there, as a family. A real family. A happy family. Then Leafpool turned to her kits, sadness in her eyes once more.

"Crowfeather and I must go." She mewed. "We cannot stay. We will go to the sun-drown-place to seek Midnight, so she can tell us what to do and where to go." Her eyes filled with tears. "I have already said goodbye to Firestar, Sandstorm, and Squirrelflight, fixed things between Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw, and told Mothwing. There is no reason to tell the truth to anyone else. Tell them that I am dead, and that I killed myself out of grief. Do not mention Crowfeather. Alright?" Hollyleaf, Lionblaze and Jayfeather all nodded, knowing somehow not to question her words. "I am so proud of you three." Leafpool mewed softly, resting her head on each of her kit's, and licking them on the cheek.

"Both of us." Added Crowfeather, smiling sadly. "I'm sorry for not being there when you grew up. I am sad for that now, but at this moment I am the proudest father in all the clans." He licked each of his kits on the top of the head.

The five stood for a moment, looking at each other, wondering what life would have been like if they were a normal, clan family. Then, wordlessly, they agreed that this was better. Why? They couldn't tell, but they knew. And as they turned away from each other, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze heading back to camp, and Leafpool and Crowfeather the opposite way, Jayfeather knew that the bond that had formed between the five of them would withstand even the wrath of Starclan. _Besides, _he thought. _Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and I are supposed to be even more _powerful_ than Starclan, so, how could they break it?_


End file.
